The following information I gathered recently for correspondants, I am
posting here in the hope others from this family will benefit:

Joseph Stovall was a wealthy landowner in Henry and Patrick Counties,
Virginia. In 1844 his nephew, Thomas Penn, had him declared incompetent. In
Will Book 4, pg. 507 in Henry County there is a notation from 16 December
1844 to the effect "negros hired out" to someone who would pay Stovall's
administrator for their use. When Joseph Stovall died in the 1850's, the
other relatives discovered Penn had mismanaged things and sued him.

In Will Book 6, pg. 49, there is an inventory of Stovall's remaining
personal peroperty made that included:

This inventory is dated 11 May 1857 and was made by R.G. Lamkin, Johnson G.
Giles, John O. Redd and Sherriff Jefe Wootton. There was also a notation
that the person who had hired them out was Wm. P. Thompson who had posted
bond of $225.00.

On pg, 151 of the same book there is the disputsal of the estate, which
shows payments to the Danville Register (Newspaper where the sale of the
slaves was probably advertised) and a note that Thompson received
compensation because he claimed "one or two of the negro hires were diseased".

Henry County Cohabitation List, pg. 132 (1866)

Stovall, Brice, 32, born Henry County, resides in Henry County, Farmer,
Last Owner: Wm. Mills of Henry County, began cohabitation in 1859.

Stovall, Louisa, 20, born Henry County, resides Henry County, Last Owner:
Brice Holland of Henry County.